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NASB | John 3:11 "Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 3:11 "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, we speak only of what we [absolutely] know and testify about what we have [actually] seen [as eyewitnesses]; and [still] you [reject our evidence and] do not accept our testimony. |
Bible Question:
Hi CSM, Just a couple of questions to clarify what you are saying.... You wrote: Since Jesus had not died for mankinds sins yet, or been raised from the dead and ascended into heaven to sit at God's right hand, and the Holy Ghost had not yet been sent from God the Father, through Jesus his Son, to indwell believers, no one had been "born again" yet. This was called the glorification of Jesus. So when exactly (at what point in time) were the disciples "born again"? You also quoted: John 7:38-39 Jesus said, "He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this he spake of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was NOT YET given (why?) because that Jesus was NOT YET glorified.)" What are your thoughts on what happened in John 20:22 And when He (Jesus) had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Do you believe that receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit is necessary for Salvation aka born again? Or is this a separate event that comes afterwards? Yours in Christ, Bows44 |
Bible Answer: Hi Bows44, They were born again in John 20:22 when Jesus breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Ghost:" This was after the resurrection of Chirst, the same day at evening John 20:19. I Cor 12:13 For by one (Holy)Spirit we are all baptized into one body, wherher we be Jews or Gentiles..we have been all made to drink into one Spirit. When God reveals Jesus to a sinner, and that sinner receives Jesus as their savior, the Holy Spirit then baptizes them (or puts them) into the body of Christ. No, I do not believe receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit is necessary for salvation or being born again. As I stated in the previous statement, the job of the Holy Spirit as far as a repentant sinner, that takes Jesus as their Lord and Savior from their oppositions to God (i.e. their sins), is to immerse, or baptize them into the body of Christ. We call it being born again, or born from above (or of God). It is also called becoming a NEW CREATURE.. II Cor 5:17 , Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. Gal 6:15, For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a NEW CREATURE. The real you is your spirit, that has a soul and lives in a body....I Thes 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole (human) spirit and (human) soul, and (human) body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Strongs Concordance look up the meaning of sanctify to get a fuller meaning of this verse. We know we are human, so before someone says, why did you put human in there its not in the scripture, the other possibilities are angels spirits, devils spirits, etc..so I don't want them to run off over there. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit: The important thing is, did Jesus believe it was necessary? Did Jesus tell them to wait for it, after they had already been born again, or put into the body of Christ? John 20:20 John 1:26-36 tells what God the Father told John the Baptist about the coming Messiah, or Son of God. John and Jesus were cousins, because Mary and Elizabeth were cousins from the natural standpoint. Yet John said, God sent him (John) to baptize with water and that the Messiah was coming. John then made a strange statement, he said ,"I knew him not". Because they were cousins from the natural standpoint, John did know Jesus, they may have gone fishing many times as children, and had family gatherings etc. What John was saying, he didn't know how to identify the Messiah. He was baptizing hundreds of people on a daily basis, as God had instructed him to do, to prepare the way before the Messiah, the Jews were looking for. God gave him a way to be certain he would know the Messiah when he saw him. John 1:33 Upon whom you see the see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost. Who was that, that would baptize with the Holy Ghost? The scripture says it was Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God! John 1:34,36. Water is not the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost is not water! John (and ministers today) baptized with water. Jesus alone, baptizes with the Holy Ghost according to scripture. Jesus called this the "promise of the Father" when he was instructing his disciples to wait at Jerusalem in the scripture. Luke 24:49 Jesus said, "behold, I (Jesus) SEND the PROMISE OF MY FATHER upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, UNTIL you be endued with POWER (from where?) on high (or God the Father)." When did Jesus do this? Acts 1:4 Jesus said, "wait for the PROMISE OF THE FATHER, which you have heard (of who?) me (Jesus). (5) For John truly baptized WITH WATER; but you shall be baptized WITH THE HOLY GHOST not many days hence." That was after they were saved John 20:19, Pentacost was 50 days after the resurrection. The word Pentacost means harvest. What is the church supposed to do? Harvest souls for the kingdom of God! see rest of post...for end of answer |